Embossing means for envelope making machines



June 8, 1937. F. L. SMITI-IIE 2,083,352

EMBOSSING MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 18, 1930 s Shee ts-Sheet 1 IN VENT OR m l ATTORNEYS.

v June 8, 1937.

F. SMITHE EMBOSSING MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR and L 'Sm/f/Ie,

A TTORNE Y5 Original Filed Dec. 18 1930 June8, 1937. F, L TH 2,083,352

EMBOSSING MEANS FOR ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. .18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M k w NW3 1 I g AW Q Q [1 INVENTOR J q Elm/rand L. 6717/7/12.

A TTORNEYS Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES EMBOSSING MEANS Fort ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINES Ferdinand L. Smithe, New YorlaN. Y.; assignor to F. L. Smithe Machine Ca, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application December 18, 1930,Se'rial No. 503,136 Renewed March 6, 1935 10 Claims.

This invention has to do with the embossing or embossing and printing of envelopes, and is illustrated herein as applied to the embossing and printing of stamps upon stamped envelopes.

It is not feasible to emboss the stamps upon the envelopes after the manufacture of the envelopes has been otherwise completed.

It has been the practice heretofore to emboss and print the stamps upon the envelope blanks before any other operations have been performed upon the blanks. This, however, involves the necessity of allowing the blanks time to dry before their actual manufacture into envelopes can be begun. It also involves the necessity of making provision from beginning to end of the envelope making machine for preventing the application of pressure by the operating parts and the feeding mechanisms to the embossed areas. It also precludes the use of a fan-out gumming mechanism for the sealing flaps.

In accordance with the present invention these difliculties are overcome by providing the printing and embossing mechanism as a part of the envelope making machine and at a point where all of the operations have been performed upon the blanks which can be performed with the blanks in a flat or unfolded condition. By this means, the parts which must be modified to avoid the application of pressure to the embossed area are greatly reduced in number while the embossing is efiected in the most desirable and efficient way, that is to say, upon flat blanks.

It is a further feature of the invention that this printing and embossing mechanism is provided in a machine adapted to be adjusted for operating on-blanks ofvarious sizes, and that the introduction of new difficulties of adjustment is avoided by arranging for the printing and embossing means to operate in an invariable path, and by further arranging for adjustment of the blank feeding means to cause the printing and embossing means to occupy an invariablerelation to the adjacent top and side edges of the body portions of the blanks regardless of their sizes. With this arrangement the cut-outs provided in the subsequent mechanism for avoiding contact with the embossed and printed area may be maintained in alignment with the fixed path of operation of the embossing and printing means so that lateral adjustment of such cut-outs is made unnecessary.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings forming part of this speci- 5 fication:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of a machine embodying features of the invention;

Figure 1a is a fragmentary, diagrammatic view showing a continuation of the machine beyond the parts shown in Figure 1;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation of that portion of the envelope making machine including, and closely associated with, the embossing mechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale than Figure 2, showing stamp printing and embossing mechanism; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the :mechanism shown in Figure 2;certain'parts being omitted for clearn'es's of illustration; The illustrative machine may be generally like the machine disclosed in the application of AbrahamNovick, Serial No. 284,856, filed June 12, 1928, for Machine for making envelopes, now Patent No. 1,807,867.

Briefly, the machine includes means (not shown) for taking envelope blanks singly from a stack (not shown) and delivering them'in timed relation onto a conveyor C which carries them around a drum D infanned-out relation beneath a gummer G. From the conveyor C the envelope blanks are transferred, still in fannedout relation, to a drier conveyor 2 from which the blanks are taken and fed at higher speed in spaced-out relation past an embossing mechanism-E. The blanks are then subjected to the action of a scoring mechanism S and passed thence to a side flap folding mechanism 36, a gumming mechanism and a bottomfiap folding mechanism. 7 The envelope blanks l on the conveyor 2 at the delivery end thereof are pushed forward by the conveyor 2 in overlapped relation along a table 3 face downward and with'the sealing flap trailing'. The conveyor 2 comprises a pair of chains 4 and 5 carrying gripper arms 6 whichlie flat against the chains in blank gripping position as they travel along the table 3, but which are turned out at the delivery end of the conveyor tangentially of sprockets 1 and 8 to release the blanks as the chains pass around the sprockets l and 8.: The sprockets 1 and 8 are normally fast upon a driven shaft 9. The chains 4 and 5 are so spaced from one another and are so timed with reference to 'thedeli'very of blanks to them that the grippers engage in the notches or re-entrant angles formed at the junctions of the sealing flaps l0 withthe end-flaps l I of the blanks. Thus the blan'ks are pushed forward by the conveyor without disalignment and in definitely timed and col lated relation to one another even after the grip upon them has been released at the deliveryen of the conveyor 2. e e

As the blanks are delivered by the conveyor 2, control; of them is assumed by feeding segments l 2a, I2'b fast on a driven shaft I3',feed ro 1lers a, llb fast on a driven shaft l5,an'd a conveyor I6 which comprises chains l1 and I8.

The chain l1 runs upon a sprocket l9 fast on a driven shaft 20, a sprocket 2 I loose ona driven shaft .22, and a sprocket 23 fast on shaftlli.

The chain l8 similarly runs upon a sprocket 24' fast on shaft 20, a sprocketj25 loose on shaft 22,

- such thata pair of fingers comes into engagement with'each blank at the points referred to just as. these points cross the line of contact of segments'l2a, l2b and rollers a, Mb.

Between the ends of the conveyor l6'provisi0n is made of a printing and embossing couple for printing and embossing postage stamps, com

prising a'printing cylinder 28 fast on the shaft 22 and an impression cylinder 29 fast on a shaft 30. The engaging portions of these cylinders, or rather the dies'carried by them, travel at'the samelinear speed'as the :conveyor l6 and make one complete revolution for each blank delivered by Said conveyor. The pins 21 are accordingly spaced from one another at distances'equal to the circumference of' the impression roller 29. The die 29a has a raised portion 29b for; embossing ahead or other figure, and the die'3l has a corresponding depression." The dieplate 3| on the printing cylinder 28is inked by means of an inking roller 32 and transfer rollers 33.

The blanks aredelivered by the conveyor l6 to a scoring couple comprising a scoring roll 34 and afee'd roll 35 and thence are passed to a side flap folding mechanism 36 which comprises a series of feed rollers '31, a series of'co-operating feed rollers, and a pair of folding plates 39 and 4 for turning over the side flaps. The scoring mechanism scores the blank longitudinally and transverselyalorig the lines dividing the body portion-of the blank-from the side and endflaps thereof. .This' mechanism is like thatdisclosed in the application of Abraham Novick, $erialNo. a 4 8 ,7 lgj' filedlylarch,2l, 1 929, for Scoring mechanism for' use in envelope making machines, now

' Patent-No. 1339,4921 Provision is, however, made ofa recess 35a; in roller 35 to avoid flattening out ofthe'f embossed he d-or figure forming part of the stamp, R,epeses..orfcut-outs are provided for the same reason inall ensuing work engaging mechanism, wherever I necessary.

;;;t 'wi11 be; seen that with the mechanism described eachlpair of pins 2'| of the conveyor l6 a blank the printing couple and that solong as the engage the notches formed by thejunction' of thefsealing flap with j the side n p the blanks will. be presented to the printing couple" so that the printing will appearon each blanket auniform distance ,in-advance of the pins .This relationship will be maintained regardless of thejsize of the blanks so long as a proper widthwise adjustment is made whenever the size of the blanks worked on is changed, to ,make sure that the pins engage in the notches.

Registration of the pins with the notches is independent of the size of. the blank, being dependent upon the timing of the feeding segments l2a, l2b, with reference to-the conveyors 2 and ii.

The upper transverse fold line will also bemarked face of each blank regardless of the size of the blank, and in order that the stamp may always travel in line with the cut-outs or recesses formed in the subsequent .work engaging members withoutj'necessity for adjustment thereof, provision is made in accordance withthe present invention for maintaining the printing mechanism and all of the feeding and guiding mechanism atone side of the blank unaltered for the various sizes of envelopes, and for making all lateral adjustments of the feeding and guidingmechanism at the opposite side. To this end the sprocket I is adapted to be secured in various adjusted positions along the shaft 9 .by means of aset screw 4|. The feed roller Ha is similarly adapted to be secured in different adjusted positions on the shaft l by means {of a set screwl2and the sprocket 26 is adapted'to besecured in different adjusted. positions onthe same shaft bya set screw 43. The feed segment I2a may be secured in different adjusted positions along the shaft 26 by means of a set screw 44 and similar adjustment may be made atone side of thescoring mechanism by meansofa set screw 46. 'The arm which carries the folding plate 39 may be adjusted correspondingly by shifting the arm along the supporting bar" and then tightening up nut i8 on a bolt 49 that extends througha slot in the supporting bar 41. Thesupport '50 of the feed-rollers 3Tmay be similarly adjusted by means of a bolt 5| and nut 52.

The bar 46a. may be adjusted circumferentially toincrease or diminish the amcunt by which scoring blade 46b leads'scorer 460. Such adjustment does not, howeverf affect the timing of scorer 460 with reference to the feeding mechanism or the printer." Y

It will be seen'that all the necessary adjustments are made without the necessity of disturbing the printing mechanism in any way, and with all the adjustments confined to one'sideof the machine, i

From the scorer the; blanks passsuccessively to the side flap folding mechanism 36,}thence to gumming apparatusKffor applying gum to the blanks, whereby theb'ottom flap will be-gummed to the side flaps. From the gumming apparatus K, the blanks are passed to bottom flap folding sisting of a pair of feed rolls I0 andll a nd 00- operating folding members 12, I3 for reversing the travel of the envelope andintroducing the sealing flapinto the bight of feeding rolls 14, IL.

The rolls 62, 63, Ill, ll-rand 14 are formedto escape engagement with the stamps. H

While'I' have illustrated and described in detail a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures. I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the specific constructions illustrated, but intend to cover my invention broadly in whatever form its principle may be utilized.

I claim:

1. In an envelope machine, the combination with means for gumming the sealing flaps of envelope blanks, means for drying the same, means for scoring the blanks along the edges of their body portions, means for folding in the side flaps, and means for folding in the bottom flaps and adhesively uniting them to the side flaps all arranged to operate on the blanks in the order named, of means for imprinting the blanks while the same are traveling from the drying means to the side flap folding means.

2. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for fanning out the envelope blanks and gumming the sealing flaps thereof while the blanks are in fanned-out condition, means for separating the blanks and advancing them at higher speed in definitely timed relation, imprinting mechanism operating in synchronism with the advancing means to imprint the blanks while they are being controlled and advanced by the advancing means, and means for thereafter folding in the side and bottom flaps of the blanks.

3. In an envelope machine, in combination, means for gumming and drying the sealing flaps of envelope blanks, means for thereafter embossing stamps in the corners of the body portions of the blanks while the blanks are still in fiat condition, means for subsequently operating on the blanks to complete the envelopes, said stamp embossing means being operable in an invariable path for blanks of all sizes, and adjus able means for presenting the blanks to the embossing means with the upper and side edges adjacent the embossing area in substantially invariable relation to the embossing means for blanks of all sizes, and the subsequent operating means being constructed to escape engagement with the embossed area.

4. In an envelope machine, the combination with a gumming and drying mechanism, a scorer for transversely scoring the blanks, and a blank feeder for delivering the gummed and dried blanks to the scorer comprising blank pushing elements which bear invariable relation to the means for making the upper transverse score line, of rotary imprinting means, arranged to act on the blanks while under the influence of said feeder, the imprinting means and the pusher elements being arranged to act on the blanks in predetermined relation to one another.

5. The combination with means for gumming the sealing flaps of envelope blanks arranged in an overlapping band, means for drying the blanks while thus overlapped, means for separating the overlapped blanks, means for folding the flaps of the blanks to convert them into envelopes and means between said separating and folding means for imprinting the blanks.

6. The combination with means for gumming the sealing flaps of envelope blanks arranged in an overlapping band, means for drying the blanks while thus overlapped, means for separating the overlapped blanks, means for folding the flaps of the blanks to convert them into envelopes and means between said separating and folding means for imprinting the blanks, said imprinting means comprising an imprinting member for operating on the blank while the same is in motion.

'7. The combination with means for gumming the sealing flaps of envelope blanks arranged in an overlapping band, means for drying the blanks while thus overlapped, means for separating the overlapped blanks, means for folding the flaps of the blanks to convert them into envelopes and means between said separating and folding means for imprinting the blanks, said means comprising a continuous carrier having members thereon for propelling and aligning blanks and rotary imprinting members for engaging the blank from above and below while the same is being carried by said continuous carrier.

8. The combination with means for conveying an overlapped series of blanks, of means for separating the blanks, a pair of rotary members for engaging the blanks above and below for acting on the separated blanks and a conveying device for conveying the separated blanks to said members, said conveying device having thereon means for propelling and aligning the blanks prior to their engagement by said rotary members.

9. The combination with means for gumming the sealing flaps of envelope blanks arranged in an overlapping band, means for drying the blanks while thus overlapped, means for separating the overlapped blanks, means for folding the flaps of the blanks to convert them into envelopes, and means between said separating and folding means for imprinting the blanks, said imprinting means comprising a'pair of spaced continuous carriers having members thereon for propelling and aligning blanks and comprising also a pair of rotary imprinting members for engaging the blanks from above and below in the space between, and while on, said continuous carriers.

10. The combination with means for conveying an overlapped series of envelope blanks, means for gumming the sealing flaps of said envelope blanks while arranged in an overlapping band, means for drying the blanks while thus overlapped, means for separating the overlapped blanks, means for folding the flaps of the blanks to convert them into envelopes and means between said separating and folding means for imprinting the blanks, said imprinting means comprising a continuous carrier having members thereon for propelling and aligning blanks and comprising also a pair of rotary imprinting members for engaging the blanks from above and below while on said continuous carrier.

FERDINAND L. SMITHE. 

